Question

A zoo receives a pair of American bison and they are in excellent health upon arrival. After 7 days they escape from their enclosure and end up in an open-air shed where feed is stored. After 24 hours they became unable to walk and stopped urinating. Both died after another 24 hours. The Necropsy showed that the rumen contained both hay, fresh green vegetation, oats, corn, and wheat. Based on that, what nutrient related condition is the likely result of their death? What else would you look for to confirm?

Answer 1

What nutrien-trelated condition is the likely result of their death?

Lactic Acidosis, also known as grain overload or rumen overload, is the condition that caused the bisons' death. This condition is caused by excessive consumption of carbohydrates, like the ones found in hay, oats, corn, and wheat, as large quantities of lactic acid are produced due to its fermentation in the rumen. Such amounts kill the microflora and get into the bloodstream.

What else would you look for to confirm?

Check for lactic acid in the bloodstream

What else would you look for to confirm?